Personal Computer Games


Timebomb

Author: SC
Publisher: CDS
Machine: Spectrum 16K

 
Published in Personal Computer Games #7

Timebomb

This game is another version of the arcade game known as Defusion or Gridtrap.

There is already a version of this game for the Spectrum by K-Tel, and one on the Commodore 64 by Livewire. This model stands up well in comparison. Your man hops from one square to another on a large grid. Other squares are occupied by flags, skulls, and a timebomb on which the amount of time left till the explosion is shown rapidly decreasing.

Using sensible control keys you must guide the figure to the bomb in order to defuse it, whereupon another bomb will appear somewhere else and he must repeat the process to save his three lives.

Having defused six bombs you progress to the next level, which is made more risky by the presence of up to four boots. These stamp angrily about the screen and will flatten you given half a chance.

A life is also lost each time you bump into a skull. Further complications are introduced by the fact that you cannot cross a square twice. Pick up the flags for bonus points.

Each time you step on a square it turns black. Should you find yourself cut off by black squares, you can scroll the row you are standing on left or right until a coloured square appear either above or below you. You can then get on with your task.

The graphics are excellent for a 16K game and as an extra bonus your Spectrum plays Beethoven's 'Fur Elise' as you move round the grid. Perhaps we can now expect a Spectrum game with full orchestral and stereophonic sound effects.

This is a good implementation of an old favourite, and the fact that it's been squeezed into 16K is an extra bonus

SC

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